Engaging a Climate Ready Agency From Dave Cleaves, Forest Service Climate Change Advisor

IN THIS ISSUE:

From the field……………………….………3

Other events and opportunities……4

Climate Change Resource Center….5

Additional online tools………………….6

Recommended readings……………….7

Abbreviations……………………………….8

Submissions………………………………….8

WELCOME

The results are in! This month’s update features an essay from the Climate Change Ad-visor’s Office on the 2014 Climate Change Performance Scorecard results. The update is designed to inform you about Forest Service activities that are linked to our changing climate as we all work to bring climate change knowledge into our organizational ex-pectations and actions. Please continue to share the details of your climate change re-lated research, management activities, and communications. Submission details are included in the last section of the update.

MESSAGE FROM CCAO

Climate Change Performance Scorecard 2014 Progress Assessment

The National Forests and Grasslands recently completed their fourth annual Scorecard assessment. The Scorecard has ten yes-or-no questions in the four dimensions of or-ganizational capacity, engagement, adaptation, and mitigation, with narratives to de-scribe accomplishments and plans for improvement. By the end of next fiscal year (FY15), each unit is expected to answer yes to at least seven of the scorecard questions, with at least one yes in each dimension. There are 113 administrative units. 2014 Results:

Seventy-three units reported that they achieved 7 of 10 yes answers. This is an increase from 55 units in 2013.

Sixty-one units achieved a “yes” response to at least seven of the scorecard ques-tions and also had at least one yes in each dimension. This is an increase from 49 units in 2013.

Very close to meeting these targets are an additional 21 and 12 units, respectively. More than 90 percent of units have appointed a climate change coordinator and

developed science management and external partnerships. More than three quarters of all units are assessing the vulnerability of key re-

sources to climate change and conducting adaptation actions that reduce these vulnerabilities.

The number of units incorporating carbon assessments and stewardship into man-agement actions more than doubled between the 2013 and 2014 Scorecard assess-ments.

Less than 50 percent of units are monitoring to track climate change impacts and the effectiveness of adaptation actions.

(continued on page 2)

October 31, 2014

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Mount Hood National Forest

Umpqua National Forest

Flathead

National Forest

MESSAGE FROM CCAO (continued) Areas for Targeted Improvement: As part of annual Scorecard reporting, each Forest Service region submits a summary of its accomplishments and areas in which to target resources for performance improvements. Based on an analysis of these sum-maries, it is clear that there continues to be an opportunity to advance climate change accomplishments though agency-wide integration, coordination, and assistance on specific Scorecard elements. Recommendations that were mentioned in multiple regional summaries or by Washington Office teams include:

(Education) that we increase the number of climate change educational resources available, both for general and discipline-specific audiences;

(Program Guidance) that we provide good models of programmatic climate change guidance;

(Partnerships) that we determine how units and employees can dedicate more time and funding to partnership develop-ment in support of vulnerability assessments and restoration and adaptation actions;

(Assessing Vulnerability) that we continue to provide support and guidance around the development of regional or sub-regional vulnerability assessments;

(Adaptation Actions) that we work to provide funding, guidance and direction, and examples of successful adaptation ac-tions;

(Monitoring) that we provide support from research stations, regional offices, and the Washington Office for the design and implementation of monitoring programs that address both the requirements of the Scorecard and the new planning rule;

(Carbon Assessment) that we continue to provide technical training and guidance toward carbon assessment and steward-ship, particularly around disturbance assessments; and,

(Sustainable Operations) that support be provided for all units to migrate to LISO as the standard reporting tool for Element 10; although a temporary decrease in Element 10 performance may initially be observed, as was the case this year, LISO is a more consistent and accurate reporting tool than others available.

Next steps: (1) First and foremost, the office will determine how best to address the areas for improvement that were identi-fied in this year’s regional summaries. This effort will, where possible, be integrated with ongoing work to improve Scorecard guidance in advance of FY16. In several instances, the CCAO is already making investments toward achieving the identified, needed improvements (i.e., ongoing funding provided directly and solely for the development of vulnerability assessments). (2) The CCAO will further analyze the results of FY14 Scorecard reporting to identify success stories and lessons learned and then provide these to units as practical, hands-on examples of how Scorecard performance can be further enhanced in FY15. (3) Fi-nally, the CCAO is organizing a climate change field team meeting, to be hosted in R6 in early 2015. This meeting will include the climate change science advisors and the regional climate change coordinator team. It will be structured to encourage coor-dinators to learn about the status of ongoing initiatives in each region while also providing an opportunity to capture compre-hensive lessons learned since Scorecard implementation began in 2011.

CCAO Staff 2

FROM THE FIELD FS led partnership produces recommendations for managers to respond to climate change in northern Washington The report, Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation in the North Cascades Region, Washington, is a product of the largest collaborative effort on federal lands to date, led by the North Cascadia Adaptation Partnership (NCAP). The partnership used an all-lands approach to in-crease awareness of climate change, assess the vulnerability of natural and cultural resources, and incorporate climate change adaptation into management of federal lands in the North Cascades region. It is led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific North-west Research Station and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests; North Cascades National Park Complex; Mount Rainier National Park; and the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group. “It‘s critical that we work across agency boundaries to ensure that techniques for responding to climate change are effective,” said Dave L. Peterson, a research biologist with the Pacific North-west Research Station, which published the report. Peterson co-authored the report along with lead author Crystal Raymond, a climate sci-entist with Seattle City Light, and Regina Rochefort, a science advisor with the National Park Service. New grant helps advance soil carbon research NIACS staff Kate Heckman, Luke Nave and Chris Swanston teamed up with colleagues from the University of Colorado, Oregon State, and Virginia Tech to submit a collaborative NSF MacroSystems Biology proposal that was recently awarded $1.8M. The project team will assess relationships between soil chemical and physical characteristics, organic matter stocks and stabilization mechanisms across the continental-scale National Ecological Observatory Network. The 5-year project will also include experiments to quantify the vulnerability of soil carbon stocks to changes in climate and land management. NIACS lends support to the project through the Radiocarbon Collaborative, which will produce a dataset of nearly 500 samples, and the International Soil Carbon Network, which will be used to share data, archived soil samples, and opportunities for related studies with the research community.

Vulnerability assessment published for northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula NIACS recently published another forest ecosystem vulnerability assessment as a product of the Climate Change Response Framework, fo-cusing on forests in northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Over 40 managers and researchers contributed to the report, from a range of federal, state, tribal, non-profit, academic, and private organizations. Companion assessments in northern Minnesota and Michigan were released earlier this year, so forest managers and landowners across the Northwoods have access to the best available information on observed and projected impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems. Contact Maria Janowiak for details. NIACS holds adaptation training for Southern New England NIACS hosted a two-day training on forests and climate change adaptation for natural resource professionals across southern New England. More than 80 foresters and land managers from various federal, state, municipal, conservation, and private organizations attended a work-shop event on Sept. 23 to hear presentations on the region’s changing climate, effects on forests, and resources for adaptation. On Sept. 24, 28 managers and professionals participated in a Forest Adaptation Planning and Practices (FAPP) training. The FAPP training program guides managers through the process of identifying risks from climate change and adaptation actions on real-world management projects. Adapta-tion activities were identified for ten different forest management and conservations projects on state, university, municipal, and private lands. www.forestadaptation.org/amherst PSW Update PSW has published a Science synthesis to support socioecological resilience in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range as General Technical Report PSW-GTR-247, available at http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr247/. Chapter 1.4, “Synopsis of Cli-mate Change” explains how climate change is an important influence on all of the topic areas considered in the synthesis and should be con-sidered in forest planning in the Sierra Nevada of California. Chris Fettig presented the “ Impacts of climate change on the frequency and severity of disturbances that shape western forests” at the 2014 Society of American Foresters and Canadian Institute of Forestry/l’Institut forestier du Canada (CIF/IFC) Convention, Salt Lake City, UT, October 2014.

USDA Hubs Website The USDA Climate Hubs now have an official home on the web (http://climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/). The site provides a portal for farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and others to find useful, practical information to help cope with the challenges and stressors caused by a changing climate. This site will serve as a gateway not only to the information and tools provided by the regional Hubs, but also to the larger network of USDA programs that provide conservation and planning support to land managers.The site provides resources related to drought, fire risks, pests and diseases, climate variability, and heat stress, and links users to the network of USDA conservation programs and resources that provide producers with technical and financial assistance to manage risks. The site draws heavily from the Forest Service’s Climate Change Resource Center (http://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/).

NRAP Workshop Linh Hoang and Dave Peterson, leaders of the Northern Rockies Adaptation Partnership, organized 4 workshops in the month of October in Missoula, Coeur D’Alene, Bozeman and Bismarck that brought together scientists, land managers, conservation practitioners and other stakeholders. The participants reviewed the draft vulnerability assessment of the Northern Rockies and helped identify adaptation strategies and tactics to reduce resource vulnerabilities. More information here.

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OTHER EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 2nd International Conference on Evaluating Climate Change and Development November 4-6, Washington, DC. This conference will tackle the difficulties linked to the evaluation of climate change and development, de-scribed by many as a major 21st century evaluation challenge. Participants for the conference are expected to be drawn equally from the global South and North to take stock of existing tools and methods but also reflect on and share experiences on emerging approaches in order to improve the practice of climate change evaluation. Efforts will also be made towards identify new and innovative ways to create an enabling environment for the demand and use of climate change and development evaluation in order to improve policy making. www.climate-eval.org/events/2014-conference First Friday All Climate Change Talks (FFACCTs) Hosted by the Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center. Aquatic ecosystems have been the focus of a wide range of conserva-tion and restoration efforts, but outcomes may be compromised by vulnerabilities associated with a changing regional climate. Keith Nislow, Northern Research Station research fisheries biologist, will present “Building climate-resilient stream and river ecosystems in the northeast US: science and applications” during the next FFACCTs session on November 7 at 11:00 ET. REACH Conference on Climate Change impacts in central Washington November 10. The REACH Centers for Environmental, Natural Resource, Energy and Agriculture Science, Richland, WA. To register for a presentation, please go to www.visitthereach.org, contact Kris Cargile at kris@visitthereach.org.

Webinar: Transposing Extreme Rainfall to Assess Climate Vulnerability November 12, 3:30 pm Eastern. NE Climate Science Center webinar. Climate models predict significant increases in the magnitude and fre-quency of extreme rainfalls. However, climate model projections of precipitation vary greatly across models. For communities that have not experienced extreme storms in recent memory, useful information on their vulnerability to extreme rainfall can be obtained by hydrologic modeling based on high-resolution rainfall data from one or more extreme storms that have occurred elsewhere in the region. Our findings suggest that state and local decision-makers are very receptive to using this approach to anticipate and adapt to impacts from extreme rain-fall events. http://necsc.umass.edu/webinars/transposing-extreme-rainfall-assess-climate-vulnerability 2014 Urban Tree Conference: Managing Urban Forests in a Changing Climate November 18–19, 2014, held at The Morton Arboretum, just outside of Chicago in Lisle, Illinois. This two-day conference will focus on practi-cal concerns for those who manage trees in cities and suburbs, such as how changes in climate are expected to affect trees’ biology and growing conditions; shifts and increases in pests and diseases; managing for extreme storms and severe drought; and how trees can help communities adapt to conditions such as greater stormwater loads. This conference is aimed at municipal foresters and other local officials; arborists; landscape contractors; landscape architects; and other professionals who own, care for, or plan for urban forests. Presented in partnership with the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and the USDA Forest Service. For more information or to register: http://www.mortonarb.org/courses/managing-urban-forests-changing-climate-conference-registration Webinar: Making decisions in complex landscapes: Headwater stream management across multiple agencies using structured decision making November 19, 3:30 pm Eastern. NE Climate Science Center webinar. There is growing evidence that headwater stream ecosystems are vul-nerable to changing climate and land use, but their conservation is challenged by the need to address the threats at a landscape scale, often through coordination with multiple management agencies and landowners. A decision faced by managers of headwater systems is how to best manage stream habitats to maximize their suitability for multiple species of conservation concern, including stream salamanders and brook trout, which occur in different parts of a stream network, are affected by both the terrestrial landscape and each other, and are likely influenced by future climate change. http://necsc.umass.edu/ webinars/ making- decisions- complex- landscapes- headwater- stream- management- across- multiple- agencies- us ACES Conference A Community of Ecosystem Services conference is scheduled for December 8-12, 2014, in Washington, DC. The focus of the conference is to link science, practice, and sustainable decision making by bringing together the ecosystem services community from around the United States and the globe. See conference website for more information: http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/aces/index.html . themes include Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), climate change, cultural and social values, and tribal goals and resources.

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OTHER EVENTS AND OPPORTUNTIES (continued) Training for Climate Adaptation in Conservation Training on climate change adaptation co-hosted by NIACS and the Wildlife Conservation Society. December 8 – 10. Brunswick, ME. This unique opportunity provides hands-on training to participants in how to consider climate change information and identify adaptation ac-tions for conservation planning and activities. It will also furnish participants with feedback and coaching on their own real-world climate adaptation project. Based on our ability to provide high-quality information and coaching, we are emphasizing conservation projects from the northeastern U.S. that are taking place in inland terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Details here - http://www.forestadaptation.org/brunswick. Rural Climate Policy Meeting Dec 15-16, 2014, Washington, D.C. The meeting will bring Rural Climate Network and other rural leaders together to discuss and create a broad rural climate policy platform. The platform will highlight concerns and rural climate mitigation and adaptation options in the U.S. Email tritter@iatp.org indicating your area(s) of interest and expertise, and whether your attendance is dependent upon travel assis-tance. National Adaptation Forum The 2nd National Adaptation Forum will take place from May 12 through May 14, 2015 in St. Louis, MO and will engage key individuals from such diverse fields as industry, academia, government and non profit organizations, all working across traditional boundaries to develop adaptation solutions and partnerships. Proposals are being accepted for Symposia, Training Sessions, Working Groups, Poster Presenta-tions, and a Tools Café that reflect the best thinking in the field, informed by theory, research, and practice. Details here - http://www.nationaladaptationforum.org/. Applications Now Accepted for 2015 Climate Solutions University Do you know communities that are ready to develop or update a climate adaptation plan with forest and water components, or who could benefit from connecting to a network of communities implementing their plans? Please share this opportunity. Climate Solutions University is now accepting applications for its 2015 program. In 2015 the focus is on urban and rural communities that are linked through a shared dependence on intact natural resources. Urban areas need to protect upstream watersheds beyond their jurisdictional control. Rural under-served communities need the support of urban resources to implement conservation priorities in their watersheds. Also, it is essential to develop solutions that include, protect, and advance low income citizens. The program is provided at no cost to qualified applicants! Contact jeff@mfpp.org for more information." Grants Available for GreenSchools! Program USFS, Conservation Education, in partnership with Project Learning Tree, leads the GreenSchools! program, part of the growing movement to green the environmental footprint of our nation’s schools through student-led efforts. There are currently more than 3,000 registered schools in the network. CE’s GreenSchools! program is a monthly feature of the Chief’s report to USDA’s Know Your Farmer/Know Your Food Initiative (KYF2). School gardens have been a popular action project in the program, and 172 of GreenSchools! gardens are included on the USDA’s Compass Map for KYF2. Since its’ inception three years ago, schools in our GreenSchools! program have received 25 percent of the Dept. of Education’s, Green Ribbon School awards. The awards recognize schools for exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education, including civics and green career pathways. To find out about GreenWorks! Grants: www.plt.org/greenschools

CLIMATE CHANGE RESOURCE CENTER Online Adaptation Example illustrates how climate change is addressed in forest planning Many National Forests in the southeast are currently revising their Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans) under the 2012 Planning Rule. See how one of these forests, the Francis Marion, is working through science-management partnerships to integrate climate change into its Forest Plan. The CCRC worked with members of the Francis Marion planning team and TACCIMO to summarize the process in an online Adaptation Example: Francis Marion National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Revision - Climate Change Integration.

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ADDITIONAL ONLINE TOOLS Science You Can Use Bulletin The Bulletin is a regular electronic publication of the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station that synthesizes current scientific research on hot topics in the Intermountain West. Each issue delivers key science findings and management implications to people who make and influence decisions about managing land and natural resources. Find the latest Bulletin, read the archives and sign up to receive future Bulletins, at: www.fs.fed.us/rm/science-application-integration/publications/ Ecosystem Services News Digest Brought to you by the U.S. Forest Service Washington Office State & Private Forestry, the Ecosystem Services Update is a monthly digest of news, reports, journal articles and events related to forest-based ecosystem services and markets. Please email ecosystem-services@fs.fed.us to opt in/out. NIACS Carbon and Climate Update An update brought to you from the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. To subscribe, email Kristen Schmitt. Science Findings Science Findings is a monthly publication by the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. It provides scientific information to who people who make and influence decisions about managing land. To read the current issue or to sign up to receive e-notifications or hard-copy delivery, please visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/scifi.shtml CompassLive CompassLive is the online science magazine of the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station. Sign up here - http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/. Mountain Views The Spring 2014 issue of Mountain Views (MVN) newsletter-journal was recently released for viewing and download: www.fs.fed.us/psw/cirmount/publications/mtnviews.shtml. MVN is a seasonal newsletter-journal, featuring reports on current mountain-climate and climate-response studies, Brevia of recently published articles, book reviews, mountain climate news and announcements, and a round-up of moun-tain artwork and poetry. TACCIMO TACCIMO, the Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options (http://54.208.52.176/TACCIMO_3Beta/menu.php), currently contains information from over 1900 peer-reviewed journal articles on climate change and its effects on natural re-sources and is now implemented for all western U.S. regions. Information from newly published literature is added to the database on a weekly basis. For information on how to run a report in TACCIMO or to request more information on climate change effects for specific focal resources contact Emrys Treasure (etreasure@fs.fed.us) or Lisa Balduman (lbalduman@fs.fed.us ).

Yale Climate Connections Climate Connections is a daily public radio series produced by the Yale Center for Environmental Communication (YCEC).The series aims to help radio listeners understand how climate change is impacting our lives and what diverse people and organizations are doing to reduce the associated risks. The series “connects the dots” between climate change and a wide range of issues such as energy, extreme weather, public health, food and water, jobs and the economy, national security, the creative arts, and religious and moral themes. Watch and listen here - http://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/climate-connections/ Would you like to get training in Sustainable Operations, but need some ideas of where to look? Check out the Sustainable Operations Training List developed by the Sustainable Operations Collective! This list includes workshops, conferences, university programs, and online training & resources offered across the country. Many opportunities are free! The following individuals would benefit from these trainings: Energy Managers, Green Team Leads, Facility Engineers, Environmental Engineers, Sustainable Operations Educators, Climate Change Coor-dinators, Purchasing Agents, and others with an interest in expanding their sustainability toolbox. These opportunities can help you and your Unit fulfill Climate Change Scorecard Element 10 “Sustainability Leadership” Action Item #5 -“Do 10% or more of permanent employees on your Unit annually participate in sustainable operations related training or professional development?”

Green IT/Power-IT-Down (PID) Online Learning Module During FY14 and FY15, Forest Service (FS) Sustainable Operations (SusOps) and the Chief Information Office (CIO) are collaboratively imple-menting National Power-IT-Down (PID). PID is a low-cost effort requiring employees to power down electronic devices and peripherals. In an effort to educate and encourage employees to integrate sustainable IT practices, SusOps and CIO developed a “Green IT/Power-IT-Down (PID) Online Learning Module” with assistance from Tripos Software. Topics covered in this module include PID, computer power manage-ment, a business case for sustainability, and the actions individual employees and CIO can take to advance sustainable operations. You can access this online learning module on AgLearn by searching for “1310 National Power-IT-Down and Green Information Technology (IT)” in the Course Catalog.

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ADDITIONAL ONLINE TOOLS (continued) Green IT/Power-IT-Down (PID) Online Learning Module During FY14 and FY15, Forest Service (FS) Sustainable Operations (SusOps) and the Chief Information Office (CIO) are collaboratively imple-menting National Power-IT-Down (PID). PID is a low-cost effort requiring employees to power down electronic devices and peripherals. In an effort to educate and encourage employees to integrate sustainable IT practices, SusOps and CIO developed a “Green IT/Power-IT-Down (PID) Online Learning Module” with assistance from Tripos Software. Topics covered in this module include PID, computer power manage-ment, a business case for sustainability, and the actions individual employees and CIO can take to advance sustainable operations. You can access this online learning module on AgLearn by searching for “1310 National Power-IT-Down and Green Information Technology (IT)” in the Course Catalog.

RECOMMENDED READINGS Our Changing Planet USGCRP The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) annual report to Congress, entitled "Our Changing Planet" for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 is now available. This annual report and supplement to the President's Budget gives an overview of USGCRP's recent achievements, current status, future priorities, and budget information. It summarizes the Program's significant progress toward achieving its strategic research goals, supporting the President's Climate Action Plan, and building a knowledge base that effectively informs human responses to global change. The FY 2015 edition of Our Changing Planet includes recent highlights such as the National Climate Assessment. To download the full report, please go to: http://www.globalchange.gov/browse/reports/our-changing-planet-FY-2015. Changing forest water yields in response to climate warming: results from long-term experimental watershed sites across North America Creed, I. et al. Researchers investigated how forest type and age affect water yield resilience to climate warming. Alpine sites showed the greatest sensitiv-ity to climate warming with any warming leading to increased water yields. Forest type appeared to influence the resilience of catchment water yields to climate warming, with conifer and deciduous catchments more susceptible to climate warming than the more diverse mixed forest catchments. Read the article here. Forest stand structure, productivity and age mediate climate effects on aspen decline Bell, D., Bradfort, J. & Lauenroth, W. Because forest stand structure, age, and productivity can mediate the impacts of climate on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) mortality, ignoring stand-scale factors limits inference on the drivers of recent sudden aspen decline. Using the proportion of aspen trees that were dead as an index of recent mortality at 841 forest inventory plots, we examined the relationship of this mortality index to forest structure and climate in the Rocky Mountains and Intermountain Western United States. We found that forest structure explained most of the patterns in mortality indices, but that variation in growing-season vapor pressure deficit and winter precipitation over the last 20 years was important. Mortality index sensitivity to precipitation was highest in forests where aspen exhibited high densities, relative basal areas, quad-ratic mean diameters, and productivities, whereas sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit was highest in young forest stands. These results indi-cate that the effects of drought on mortality may be mediated by forest stand development, competition with encroaching conifers, and physiological vulnerabilities of large trees to drought. By examining mortality index responses to both forest structure and climate, we show that forest succession cannot be ignored in studies attempting to understand the causes and consequences of sudden aspen decline. Read more here.

Interactions of climate, fire, and management in future forests of the Pacific Northwest Wimberly, M. & Liu, Z. This paper synthesizes the recent literature on climate, fire, and forest management in the Pacific Northwest to summarize projected chang-es and assess how forest management can aid in adapting to future fire regimes and reducing their negative impacts. Increased wildfire un-der future climates has the potential to affect many ecosystem services, including wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and water and air quality. Fuel treatments in dry forest types can reduce fire severity and size, and strategically-placed treatments can help to protect both property and natural resources from wildfire. Although increased rates of burning are projected to reduce carbon stocks across the region, research to date suggests that fuel treatments are unlikely to result in significant increases in carbon storage. Prescribed burning combined with thinning has been demonstrated to be effective at reducing fire severity across a variety of dry forest types, but there is uncertainty about whether changing climate and increasing human encroachment into the wildland–urban interface will limit the use of prescribed fire in the future. Most fire research has focused on the dry forest types, and much less is known about the ecological impacts of increased wild-fire activity in the moist forests and the potential for adapting to these changes through forest management. To address these knowledge gaps, future research efforts should build on the Pacific Northwest’s legacy of integrated regional assessments to incorporate broad-scale climatic drivers with processes operating at the stand and landscape levels, including vegetation succession, fire spread, treatment effects, and the expansion of human populations into wildland areas. An important outcome of this type of research would be the identification of localized “hot spots” that are most sensitive to future changes, and are where limited resources for fire management should be concentrat-ed. Read the article here.

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RECOMMENDED READINGS (continued) New commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions announced at United Nations Climate Summit Dozens of commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions were announced at the September summit for agriculture, energy, cities, fi-nancing, forest, industry, resilience and transportation sectors. These are summarized at the UN’s website: http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/action-areas/ The New Climate Economy Global Commission on the Economy and Climate An estimated US $89 trillion of investment in the world’s infrastructure will be needed in the next 15 years, regardless of action on climate according to The New Climate Economy, a report issued today by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. However, “A low-carbon transition across the entire economy could be achieved with only 5% more upfront investment from 2015-2030.” This is in strong contrast to the popular notion that "fixing climate" is going to cost us way too much. The report outlines a ten-point plan of action for gov-ernments and businesses for growing a low-carbon economy. The report’s conclusion is that countries at all levels of income now have the opportunity to build lasting economic growth at the same time as reducing the immense risks of climate change. You can explore the report and its summary online or If you prefer you can download the 72-page report (3.5 MB pdf)

ABBREVIATIONS ACES - A Community of Ecosystem Services CCAO - Climate Change Advisor’s Office CCRC - Climate Change Resource Center FAPP - Forest Adaptation Planning and Practices FFACCTs - First Friday All Climate Change Talks MVN - Mountain Views NCAP - North Cascadia Adaptation Partnership NIACS - Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science NRAP - Northern Rockies Adaptation Partnership PSW - Pacific Southwest TACCIMO - Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options USDA -United States Department of Agriculture USGCRP - United States Global Change Research Program YCEC - Yale Center for Environmental Communication

SUBMISSIONS Please send your submissions on Forest Service climate change related activities to Karen Dante: skdante@fs.fed.us by COB November 24th. It’s most helpful to have a short description with a web link to more information. Share your great work by contributing your PowerPoint presentations to our O drive - O:\OfficeOfTheChief\ClimateChange\Project\CCPresentations. If you have a climate change related presentation or slides that you want to contribute, but don’t have write access, please send to Karen Dante.

Contact information for the Climate Change Advisor’s Office is on our Intranet and our Internet site. Here you will also find materials like the National Roadmap for Responding to Climate Change, the Performance Scorecard, and Scorecard guidance.